


Port

by Jackolidus



Series: Justin and Justin [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Aliens, Innuendo, Memory Loss, Outer Space, Sci-Fi, mild sexism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:01:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29313744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackolidus/pseuds/Jackolidus
Summary: I can't post as often these days. I take the weekends off so I can work and then I'm burnt out from the weekend and forget to post. But you might get two or three chapters today.
Series: Justin and Justin [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2114421
Kudos: 1





	Port

**Author's Note:**

> I can't post as often these days. I take the weekends off so I can work and then I'm burnt out from the weekend and forget to post. But you might get two or three chapters today.

Where the ship had been clean and sterile, the port was a grimy step down. For a first impression of space, as a real environment that Justin was being forced to live through, to touch with his hands and feel under his standard-issue boots, the port of Al-Jaghool was the cesspool standard. Justin couldn’t see it perfectly, but he could smell and feel it. 

Departing from the ship had been bittersweet. There’s been a ceremony, where the captain gave him the medals he’d been promised, and the entire crew was present. He’d felt the pain of many people he didn’t recognize as he was handed his medals of valor and his honorable discharge. He hadn’t had time to meet much of the rest of the crew, but he knew that he was better off that way. 

As they were standing in line to get into what Matt had explained was the port city, paperwork required, they heard a voice calling to them. 

“Ericson! Wait! I’m here to escort you! Captain’s orders!”

Matt turned around and his face broke into a wide grin. “Vanity! If I’d known you were coming, I would’ve waited.”

As Vanity approached, their skin seemed to change from white to pink, Justin wondered if it was a trick of the light. “I wouldn’t have had to come if you hadn’t forgotten your papers, you silly thing.”

“Oh, thank you, Van,” Matt said, still grinning.

Justin felt stupid for wondering why they were being given new papers when Matt had theirs in his pocket. 

“You’re welcome, boss. Anything for my two favorite fiends.” Vanity hit Justin on the back and snarled over their shoulder at a woman who complained about how they’d cut in line. “I’ll cut you, bitch,” they growled. “I ain’t even going through the gates, have a little respect.”

They took a few steps forward as the line moved and Justin tried not to look too uncomfortable with Vanity’s arm around his shoulders. He still didn’t love being touched. And Vanity was a stranger. 

Vanity the stranger picked at something between their teeth and flicked it away. “What are you two gonna get up to in this city, huh?”

Apparently there was some value to making light of the situation, so Matt chuckled at his friend. “You know, we haven’t decided yet. I know I’m stopping by at Papa’s as soon as I can.”

“You and Rip find a cozy place for me, get down to business for me.” Van squeezed Justin’s shoulders. “You two deserve some bed-shaking good times. On me.”

Matt laughed along with Vanity, who kept squeezing Justin’s shoulders. “Van, you are too kind.”

The line moved forward again, and Van leaned hard on Justin. “My good friend, Ripper, why so quiet? You’re leaving with half the ship in medals.”

Justin tried to smile. “Dunno, man. I’m just tired.”

Vanity made a sad sound and put their head on Justin’s shoulder. “Poor little baby. Ericson, my good friend, he will fix you right up, give you that good back massage, eh? With a little bit of a happy ending.” 

Matt laughed right along with Vanity about a variety of vulgar things, from being gross with the ladies in front of them to deciding what angle Justin’s ass would look better from, all while Vanity was still breathing their stinky breath way too close to Justin’s nose. 

When they reached the end of the line, Vanity’s skin turned back to white as they handed Matt two leather wallets and kissed him on the lips. They came apart and Vanity turned to Justin, who tried to give them a look that said “don’t fuck with me”. 

“Hey, Ripper, you’re too cute,” Vanity crowed, grabbing Justin’s head with both hands and bringing their lips together. It was at least brief. 

As soon as the guy was out of earshot, Justin spat onto the metal grating and wiped his mouth while Matt watched with an amused smile on his face. “I hate that guy,” Justin decided, still trying to get the taste out of his mouth. “I don’t want to know what he smelled like.”

Matt hummed. “You hated him when you could remember, too.”

Justin adjusted his jaw. “I wanted to knock him out.”

“Yeah, you would have. I think he was enjoying the fact that you didn’t remember him.” Matt grabbed the fabric of Justin’s shirt in one hand. “It’s going to get really loud and really busy in a minute and I know you can’t see, so hold onto my shoulder until we get to where we’re going.”

Justin nodded and put his hand on Matt’s shoulder. 

They went through a set of turnstiles and Matt had to hand over the wallets, which held their information. Justin’s anxiety spiked when the guy dumped them into a box with a million other wallets. As they were scanning the backs of their hands, Matt explained, “They keep them until we’re ready to leave.”

Justin’s guessed that that was why Vanity had sent them with extra papers. Smart. 

Once they were through the gate, the city somehow got more grimy. Everything was brown or red and Justin could feel that the ground was wet. There were people everywhere, everyone seemed to be in a rush. And it was dark. Everything was illuminated by lights in the floor, which did a terrible job illuminating anything. 

“Are you hungry?” Matt asked, having to raise his voice to be heard. “We can either sort out lodgings or get food first. And if we eat today, we’ll be good until tomorrow.”

“Food,” Justin agreed. 

They walked through the bustle for what felt like forever, and Matt had his backpack on the front of his chest. Justin had a hard time keeping his hand on Matt’s shoulder, but he made it work. It would be hell to get lost. 

Matt led him to a small food stall and walked right up to the window. He knocked on the glass, and a small head popped up. “Two number threes.”

“We’re closed,” the tiny head said. 

“Go tell your dad it’s Ericson and Ripper.”

The kid yelled something to the rest of the cart in a language that Justin didn’t understand. An older man slowly shuffled to the window, and his face lit up when he saw them standing there. 

“My boys!” he cried, speaking with a funny accent. “My boys are home!” He called to the cart a series of instructions in the strange language. “The food comes soon, boys.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Matt said, leaning toward the window to shake the man’s hand. 

The man pointed at Matt. “You’re eating from somewhere else?”

Matt held his hands in the air in surrender. “You know I would never do that to you.”

“This is why my boys arrive so skinny,” he concluded, mournfully. “Oh, I am wounded.” He seemed to recover quickly. “I hear bad things about Ripper since your visit.”

Matt wrapped an arm around Justin. “He was injured.”

“I hear, it’s very bad?”

“He’s mostly healed, now,” Matt said. “Temporarily blind. And he can’t remember anything.”

Justin wasn’t sure if the man was Matt’s dad or just a guy they called Papa. Either way, the man’s face fell. “It sounds very bad. When I hear of it. It sounds very bad.”

Matt nodded. “But he’s okay, now. He’s mostly recovered.”

Someone from the back of the cart yelled for Papa, and Papa excused himself politely. 

“He’s not my dad,” Matt explained. “He’s just a local who’s looked out for us every time we’ve been down here. He’s got good intel, too. Just don’t let him give you the food for free. He’s gonna try.”

When Papa came back, he had two giant plates wrapped in foil and two giant foam cups and he set them down on the counter and said, very loudly. “Boys, it is on the house.” He plopped two plastic-wrapped purple things on top of each plate. “Two extras, for the road.”

“Papa, you know I can’t let you give this to us for free.”

“You can’t convince me, boys. You are too skinny. Enough food will rob you dry. You are my boys, you get my discount.”

Matt grinned and took a plate and a cup and handed them to Justin. “Take my money, Papa, I ate for free last time.”

“You eat for free every time from now on.”

“Let me pay,” Matt begged. “Please, Papa. I can’t live with it on my conscience.”

Papa stared at him for a long time. “Okay, boys, but Son takes your money, I can’t take your money.”

“Thank you,” Matt called, as Papa walked away. 

Once they had paid, Justin couldn’t tell but it looked like Matt had simply swiped his hand on the counter, they made their way to a small picnic table that was sitting outside the cart. Justin sat down across from Matt and watched Matt for a signal of what to do. 

Matt unwrapped the plate, first, and breathed in. “See,” he said, “this is what I miss about being grounded. The food in space is utter shit.”

Justin unwrapped his own plate and was bombarded by a wave of aroma. It wasn’t an unwelcome bombardment. He almost melted. 

It looked like a piece of very smooth bread with greasy, cheesy meat and plants rolled up into it. Plus a side of small, round pieces of green something. 

When Matt took his first bite, he moaned. “Fuck me,” he muttered. “It’s been so long.”

Justin controlled himself, but the flavors were so good that he had to close his eyes. “That guy is a genius,” he said. “He’s a motherfucking god.” He could feel sauce running down his chin but he didn’t care. 

“What’s amazing for you,” Matt said, gesturing with his sandwich, “is that you get to have this for the very first time.”

“It really is amazing.” 

The green things were crunchy and hot and full of some kind of sauce. And the purple things were sweet and cakey. The drink was a sweetened tea. Justin finished his meal with a full stomach. 

Matt got up to discard the waste, and he came back ready to go. “Let’s hit the road, Rip.”


End file.
